Animals with extensive injuries don’t normally survive in the wild where only the fittest endure.
So it was an amazing sight for photographer Mark Drysdale when he spotted a giraffe with a broken neck in the shape of a zig-zag.
The animal, who lives in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, broke its neck after a fight with another giraffe over a female.
Male giraffes often do battle with each other standing side by side and pushing each other to show who is the strongest. The loser usually breaks their neck and dies. The victor gets the female.
Drysdale said in an interview in the Mail that he saw the giraffe after one of the local guides pointed out the critter.
“Whilst I was guiding clients in the Serengeti we were introduced to this giraffe by one of the local guides, who has known the animal for five years.
The animal had broken its neck whilst fighting five to six years before and had remained in the area – where there are no conservation centres or vets – ever since.
I found it strange and it was the first time I had seen such a deformity but he seemed to be in good health.
Although males generally take food from higher up trees than females by stretching to their full length, this guy was unable to do that.
He just ate at the lower levels where there was more than enough food available.
h/t: Mirror, Daily Mail
Photo credit: Mark Drysdale, Caters
